Israel agrees to Gaza truce for Egypt PM's visit

Israel has agreed to halt a massive aerial campaign on the Gaza Strip during a visit Friday by Egyptian Prime Minister Hisham Qandil provided militants also hold their fire, an Israeli official said.

“Prime Minister (Benjamin) Netanyahu has agreed to an Egyptian request to cease fire during the visit to Gaza this morning by the Egyptian prime minister, a visit that is supposed to last some three hours,” the senior official told AFP.

“In our response forwarded to the Egyptians, Israel has said that the IDF (Israeli military) will cease fire on the condition that during that period there won’t be hostile fire from Gaza into Israel.”

Officials in Gaza said Qandil was due to cross into Gaza at around 10:00 am (0800 GMT) and meet with top officials in the ruling Islamist Hamas movement on a brief solidarity visit.

The premier will be accompanied by a number of aides to Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi, as well as by Health Minister Mohamed Mustafa Hamed, Cairo said on Thursday after confirming the surprise visit.

Ahead of the announcement, Israeli warplanes carried out multiple new air strikes on the Palestinian territory, including several hits on Gaza City early Friday, the third day of an intensive campaign which the military has said is aimed at stamping out rocket fire on southern Israel.